title: Electrospray ionization from an adjustable gap between two silicon chips.
abstract: In this paper, a silicon chip-based electrospray emitter with a variable orifice size is presented. The device consists of two chips, with a thin beam elevating from the center of each of the chips. The chips are individually mounted to form an open gap of a narrow, uniform width between the top areas of the beams. The electrospray is generated at the endpoint of the gap, where the spray point is formed by the very sharp intersection between the crystal planes of the <100> silicon chips. Sample solution is applied to the rear end of the gap from a capillary via a liquid bridge, and capillary forces ensure a spontaneous imbibition of the gap. The sample solution is confined to the gap by means of a hydrophobic treatment of the surfaces surrounding the gap, as well as the geometrical boundaries formed by the edges of the gap walls. The gap width could be adjusted between 1 and 25 microm during electrospray experiments without suffering from any interruption of the electrospray process. Using a peptide sample solution, a shift toward higher charge states and increased signal-to-noise ratios was observed when the gap width was decreased. The limit of detection for the peptide insulin (chain B, oxidized) was approximately 4 nM. We also show a successful interfacing of the electrospray setup with capillary electrophoresis.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ek
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schönberg
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sjödahl
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacksén
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vieider
authors.forename: Asa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Emmer
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roeraade
mesh_terms: D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D004867:Equipment Design; D007328:Insulin / Q000032:analysis; D055616:Microtechnology / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012825:Silicon; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D012825:Silicon